Hijichi Week 2018
by FloweryNamesLover
Summary: Several drabbles for Hijichi 2018 shipping event. I posted these on tumblr during the actual event but didn't get to posting them here until now.
1. Sun and Moon

It had been a long time since he could enjoy the sunrise.

He regretted having not enjoyed such a beautiful sight more often while he was a human. For all his feelings of annoyance during hot summer days, that paled in comparison to the pain the sunlight caused to his Fury body.

Since awakening a week ago, he noticed the sun did not affect him as much as it used to. He couldn't say he wasn't experiencing any discomfort at the moment, but it did not come close to the pain he'd grown accustomed to after consuming the Water of Life. Perhaps, he thought half-jokingly and half-hopefully, at least that symptom would vanish. Despite his seriously wounded state from being shot and his battle with Kazama before managing to kill the Demon, the bloodlust did not come. And on the few occasions when Chizuru pricked her finger while sewing or some other minor wound that made her bleed briefly before her skin healed itself, the smell of blood was so faint that he barely noticed. He felt no disgusting inclination to drink her blood either.

He refrained from sharing these discoveries with Chizuru, not wanting to get her hopes up if this turned out to be nothing. Seven days was hardly enough time to draw conclusions of this importance.

His injuries still required time to heal. That was another thing he noticed. If not for the medical care provided by Chizuru, he might not be awake yet, or even alive. Again, he dismissed these thoughts. For now he should focus on resting and recovering. The irony of that thought did not elude him; never could he forget the hell he'd given Souji for not taking his health seriously, all whilst Chizuru lectured him about overworking himself, particularly after Kazama almost killed him with his special sword.

"Hijikata-san, what are you doing up?!" That voice, followed by rapid footsteps, brought a small smile to his face as Chizuru rushed to him and sat on her knees beside him. Her eyes were wide and her lips were pressed into a thin line, making him chuckle. She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

"You still have trouble sitting up and walking without a limp," she said."You should have stayed in bed or woken me up to help you." She glanced in the direction of the sunrise."I also don't think it's wise for you to be outside when the sun is out. You-"

"Chizuru," he interrupted."I'm fine. Don't worry."

She rolled her eyes."Like you were fine after not sleeping at all once we returned to Edo? Like you were fine after Kazama nearly killed you? Like you were fine after being shot off your horse, so fine that you refused to drink my blood until I made it clear that I was not giving you a choice?" She raised an eyebrow."And to think I once allowed you to scold me for passing out on one occasion. You truly are a hypocrite, Hijikata-san." Sighing, she scooted closer to him and touched his arm."But I suppose you're _my_ hypocrite."

With another sigh, she lazily threw her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek to his chest. Hijikata ran his fingers up her spine and kissed the top of her head.

"We are going inside after this," she said after a few moments of silence."And you're in no position to argue." She tightened her embrace.

"Yes, ma'am," he murmured as he gently rubbed her back.

Chizuru playfully poked his shoulder and cuddled further against him.

It was a good way to start the day.

* * *

Even before drinking the Water of Life, he did not sleep much at night. Becoming a Fury worsened that problem.

In all honesty, though, Hijikata had never been a morning or night person. He simply worked whenever he could, for as long as he could, before he collapsed from exhaustion or someone forced him to rest. Nighttime was simply the more common period when he was active. Hence, why he couldn't, and didn't want to, sleep tonight. In fact, he hadn't slept much for the whole week since awakening from his coma.

Chizuru lay beside him, the moonlight from a window illuminating her peaceful face. The soft sound of her breathing and the occasional mumble had lulled him to sleep that night in Ezo, as well as the last several nights even with the minimal amount of sleep he'd gotten. That was not the not case this time.

He imagined she had not rested much while taking care of him while he was comatose, and was catching up on that now that he was awake and his life wasn't at so great a risk. After everything she had endured, rest was the least she deserved. Knowing Chizuru, she would say the same about him.

With a sigh, Hijikata sat up in bed and carefully made his way off the mattress. It was harder to stealthily leave than it would have been from a futon, but Chizuru was too deep asleep to notice.

Hijikata walked to the window where the blinds were half-closed and sat down in front of it. Not for the first time, he thought about his fading Fury symptoms. Was he truly gradually returning to his normal human self? It could turn out to be nothing, which was why he kept this from Chizuru, but if this continued for several more weeks, he would tell her.

If his body _was_ ridding itself of the symptoms of the Water of Life, then why? He had not done anything to cause this. He had not found and drank the water Sanan mentioned in his dying moments, had never taken the medicine. All he'd done…was drink Chizuru's blood.

He closed his eyes. He hated letting that topic cross his mind for the smallets of seconds, so he dismissed it. Perhaps he should not think about what may be happening to his body at all and just see where it would lead, if anywhere. Yes, that was best. He didn't need to trouble himself anymore. For now, he would focus on recovering and being with the woman he loved. Well, he would _always_ be focusing on the latter…

"Hijikata-san?"

Hijikata twisted around in his seat and smiled when he saw a half-awake Chizuru looking at him from where she sat on their bed. With a sigh, she got out of bed and padded to him, sitting down next to him. The opening from the curtains that let in the moonlight illuminated her face even more now that she was closer to the window. It also allowed him to clearly see her annoyed expression that was very similar to the one she'd worn this morning.

"Hijikata-san," she said sternly."If you're not back in bed by the time I am done counting to five, I will make you." She lifted her hand with all five fingers up, then lowered one and uttered the first number.

"One."

Scratch that, she was _far_ more unhappy with him at this moment than she'd been in the morning.

"Two."

Not wanting to find out what happened when an Edo woman was _really_ angry, Hijikata put up his hands with a sheepish grin and grasped her wrist to wordlessly assure her that he would obey. Her expression did not change as she lowered a third finger.

"Three."

Hijikata's eyes widened, and he quickly jumped to his feet and hurried to the bed. He knew Chizuru didn't lie, but he hadn't thought she would go _this_ far.

"Four."

The sound of him getting back onto the mattress must have reached her ears, because she looked at him over her shoulder. She smiled brightly when she saw that he'd obeyed. She stood up and said,"Five," in a very pleased tone of voice before making her way back as well.

She really was a scary girl.


	2. Sorrow

Voices.

Familar, angry, sorrowful voices. They echoed around him, they filled his ears, they carved their way into his very soul. And they all uttered the same sentence.

"You failed us."

Inoue, murdered by Kazama because he wasn't fast enough. Yamazaki, killed by a blow meant for Hijikata. Kondou, left behind at his own insistence to be arrested and executed. Souji, abandoned in Edo to succumb to tuberculosis with the knowledge that Hijikata lied to him about Kondou. Saito, whose fate was uncertain since they left him to fight alongside the Aizu. Sanan and Heisuke, both of whom had turned to ash while he held their lifeless hands.

"You failed us."

They were right. It was his fault. He had let his anger over Inoue's death lead to Yamazaki's own demise. He had shielded Kondou from the harsher realities of leadership and then thrown him to the wolves. He had not done enough to calm Souji's lust for killing and jealousy. He had put so much on Saito's shoulders, of course he would want to separate from him. He had taken Sanan and Heisuke for granted, had never been there for Sanan during his struggles as a Fury and brushed aside his pain, he had not done anything to help young and naive and hot-tempered Heisuke, he had failed them both despite fully understanding what it meant to be a Fury, despite enduring twice the agony they did due to his duties as Commander and then Chief.

He failed them, he killed them. And soon enough he would die too. What point was there in living without his purpose? Once the Shinsengumi fell, he would fall with it. This was how it should be.

"You failed us."

The voices had grown louder, angrier, closer. It was as if the speakers were approaching him with each repetition until their mouths were at his ears.

"You failed us."

Their hands were gripping his arms and shoulders now, squeezing so hard that their nails dug into his flesh. But that pain could never compare to their verbal assault.

"You failed us."

He was a fool. He was a walking dead man. He was a failure in so many ways.

"You failed me."

Hijikata froze. The other voices stopped, and their grips on him vanished. That new voice, that slight change of phrasing brought with it a new pain, a new reminder of his failures. It belonged to the person he had hurt the most, the person he would never see again, the person who did not deserve to suffer the same fate as the others who had put their faith in him.

Chizuru stood several feet away from him, tears pouring down her face, eyes cold, body still as a statue. None of the affection, fond exasperation, or determination she had displayed around him were present, just a glare so icy that it brought his Demon Commander's glare to shame. And the hatred in her voice was a thousand times worse than those of his other comrades.

She had been his page, his rock, his…savior. And he had left her for her own safety, to prevent another loss and source of grief for himself. As he watched her fall to her knees from shock and sorrow, watched the tears form in her eyes, heard her sobbing and calling out to him as he walked away, his heart screamed for him to stop, to turn around and embrace her and never let her go. But he kept walking, even as the anguish grew with each step he took away from her.

"You failed me," Chizuru repeated. She pointed behind him."You failed them," she said, and he turned to see the owners of those voices that proceeded her arrival standing behind him with the same expressions on their faces as Chizuru.

Chizuru moved her finger to point directly at Hijikata. The men copied her actions. Then, in unison, they screamed _that_ sentence.

"YOU FAILED US!"

Hijikata woke up, covered in sweat and shaking like a leaf. That dream, as horrible as it was, was nothing new to him since he arrived in Ezo. All that was different about this night was the addition of Chizuru, which made his heart ache even more than usual.

He closed his eyes as a single tear fell down his cheek."I failed you all," he whispered.


	3. Joy

Laughter could be heard throughout the house.

Chizuru had one hand over her mouth to muffle her giggles as she ran. She could hear Hijikata struggling to control his own mirth as he chased her. A part of her worried that this might put too much strain on his body, as she had only recently declared him completely healthy, but they had been at this game for ten minutes now and he hadn't once seemed to be in pain. Plus, she added, she should have more faith in her own nursing skills. Hijikata was not as difficult a patient to manage as in the past, so neither of them suffered from unnecessary stress.

She'd gotten so lost in thought that she failed to realize her pace had slowed until she heard Hijikata chuckle. She spun around, squeaking as she ducked beneath his arms when they tried to catch her in an embrace. At the same time, she dove to the floor, rolled toward the doorway, and stood. Hijikata watched all of this happen with an impressed visage. Chizuru placed her hands on her hips and stuck her tongue out at him before running away. Hijikata blinked in surprise at her cockiness, but soon grinned and renewed his chase.

"You can't catch me!" She called over her shoulder.

She dashed into their bedroom and leaned against the wall next to the door. Hijikata ran into the room, not noticing her hiding place. He stood in the center of the room with his back to her, confused, and she gave an exaggerated laugh that made him spin around with wide eyes. She waved at him, then fled. He cursed under his breath at his own foolishness.

"Is old age catching up to you, Hijikata-san?" She teased."You're not as alert as you used to be."

Hijikata was close behind her now and making another attempt to grab her. She let him think he was about to be victorious, seeing his smirk from the corner of her eye. He opened his arms, and she spun away a second before his arms would have closed around her, causing him to hug thin air. She continued spinning until she reached a window. She cocked her head, not caring that her face showed how much she was struggling not to burst out laughing.

He narrowed his eyes as he slowly moved toward her. She was seemingly at a dead end, and she couldn't run in the other direction unless she wanted to run straight into him. For each step he took closer to her, she stepped backwards. He was so certain of his victory that he ignored her obvious amusement. Not that she blamed him; after all, it was a reasonable assumption. What else could she do? Jump out the window? Yes, exactly that.

Chizuru turned her back to him, slumping her shoulders in apparent resignation. She didn't need to turn around to know his facial expression was the perfect picture of smugness. He made a beeline for her, and she jumped out of the window, landing a little too roughly afore hurrying to her feet.

Hijikata was gaping at her through the window. She shrugged and crossed her arms.

"Are you going to give up?" She asked."I don't mind winning, but if you give up so easily-" She was interrupted by rapid footfalls as he rushed to the exit of their home. She heard the door open and jumped into the window back into the house. Hijikata arrived a moment later, vexed and impressed with her. She twisted around so her back faced him and was about to run when his arms reached through the window and pulled her against it. He didn't try to pull her outside, just held her in place while she struggled to break free.

"What were you saying about old age catching up to me?" He whispered into her ear. She squealed when he pressed his lips to the nape of her neck.

"I surrender!" She cried laughingly."I surrender!"

He released her and walked away, leaving her rolling on the floor as a giggling mess. A minute later, he was back inside the house and looming over her. As soon as she looked up at him, he lifted her and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She yelped whilst he carried her away, playfully hitting his back.

"Hijikata-san!" She couldn't stop laughing."What are you doing?"

He did not respond, and kept walking until he reached their bedroom, where he tossed her onto the bed. She landed with another yelp, still laughing as he hovered over her and even as he covered her mouth with his own. Well, her laughter lasted for a second after that before she moaned and wrapped her arms around him.

He broke the kiss, bringing his lips to her neck and running his fingers along her side.

"I won," he whispered against her skin, making her shudder."And now I get to claim my prize."

Chizuru couldn't agree more.


	4. Cold and Haiku

The cold was worse than usual in Ezo.

How much worse? The amount of snow outside made it impossible to step outside, so everyone had to stay indoors for the day. There wasn't much work to be done in these conditions, but Chizuru was not surprised that Hijikata found some way to overwork himself despite that. And that was after "forgetting" to blow out the candle last night again.

Well, she was having none of it. She would grab the pen from his hand and sweep all the papers off his desk if need be. He would take a break today, whether he liked it or not. If he didn't listen, she would have no choice but to remind him that she was an Edo girl.

With those thoughts in mind, she nodded confidently, picked up the tray, and headed for his office.

She stopped in front of the door and called out,"Hijikata-san."

Pressing her ear to the door, she heard the sound of pages being turned, followed by his response: "Come in."

As soon as she entered the room and closed the door behind her, she turned to him with her mouth open to lecture him…

…and she closed her mouth when she saw what he was doing.

He was working on something, just not paperwork. The papers she expected to find him filling out had already been completed and put to the side. His gaze was focused on the book on his desk, a faint smile decorating his face as he wrote in it. He looked so relaxed and happy that she giggled at the sight.

His head snapped up. He looked at her with wide eyes for a moment, then smiled and sighed."What? Is the sight of me not doing work that shocking and amusing?" He grimaced and lifted a hand to interrupt her when her lips twitched."Don't answer that." With a headshake, he returned to writing in the book.

Chizuru gazed at him fondly as she approached, placing the tray on the desk and pouring a cup of tea for him. He muttered his gratitude when she placed the cup next to him.

"What are you writing?" She asked, pouring a cup for herself.

Hijikata stiffened, the slightest and briefest blush coloring his cheeks. This just made her more curious, though she did not push the issue. After a moment, he glanced at her, put his pen down, and pushed the book toward her while picking up his cup to take a sip. He watched her the entire time as she examined the object.

Chizuru blinked."Is this…haiku?" The same collection Souji used to steal?

Hijikata met her gaze and nodded. His smile was sad, an indication that he was remembering the old days as well."I thought I'd never see this again, but turns out it was close by this whole time. I didn't have much to do today, so I figured I'd try my hand at it again." He lowered his eyes."It feels nice to remember."

"I understand the feeling," Chizuru said quietly. She felt like that about her journal.

Silence settled over them until Hijikata broke it with a snort. Chizuru gave him a questioning look. He inclined his head.

"Souji would have loved to steal this and run around reciting it for everyone to hear," he said, gesturing to the book."Saito would ask what the meaning of each poem is. And everyone else would be laughing their asses off while I chased the brat."

Giggling, Chizuru hummed in agreement. They exchanged smiles, then Hijikata looked to window. The silence returned.

Chizuru turned and walked to the divan to sit down. She sipped her tea and shifted slightly in her seat. While the room was warm and the tea equally so, the freezing weather outside was still effective. She tried to distract herself by getting lost in her thoughts.

She was snapped back into reality when the tray was placed on the table in front of her by Hijikata, who walked back to his desk to get his book. He sat down next to her, which was pleasantly surprising enough on its own, then wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She gasped as her ear rested over his heart.

"Hijikata-san," she murmured. Pleasant tingles ran down her spine as he caressed her back with his fingertips, and she blushed as she cuddled further against him.

She completely forgot about the cold as he held the haiku book so both of them could silently read the poetry together, enjoying one another's warmth and the bittersweet memories.


	5. Hot (NSFW)

Hijikata sighed from where he sat underneath a tree, grateful for the shade it provided.

Chizuru had finally deemed him healthy enough to walk on his own and perform simple tasks. So long as he didn't strain himself for another few weeks, he would be fine.

He had taken to writing haiku again, and was doing exactly that right now whilst he watched Chizuru do laundry at the lake close to their home. Although the heat today was not unbearable and he did not have to worry about sunlight causing discomfort thanks to the loss of his Fury powers, it was far too hot to stay inside and he was eager to do something other than sit in the house to recuperate all day.

Although Chizuru had approved of him doing light work, she declined his offer to help with the laundry. Whether she did this out of desire that he rest more or because she enjoyed her chores too much to let him help was not entirely certain. Probably both.

Fine with him, he thought, as several ideas for his poetry popped into his mind just from watching her do chores.

Chizuru occasionally glanced at him with a smile. On one such occasion, he winked at her, making her blush.

He looked up from his book to admire the woman he loved. He'd grown so accustomed to seeing her in male clothing that the sight of her in female attire was more beautiful than he thought possible. Her pink and white kimono and her loose ponytail suited her very well.

Chizuru stood up and moved to hang up the laundry to dry on the tree branches. After finishing this, she sighed and wiped the sweat from her brow. Hijikata closed his book and set it aside before beckoning Chizuru. She obeyed, sitting next to him and lazily wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his chest. Hijikata rested one hand on the small of her back. She snuggled further against him, letting out a contented sigh.

They stayed like that for awhile, enjoying the quietude. Suddenly, Chizuru shifted in his embrace and separated herself from him. He playfully clutched her hand to prevent her from escaping. She giggled as she ducked under his arms when he attempted to hug her and dashed toward the lake. He thought she would jump into the water, but she stopped right in front of the lake and sat on the grass. He raised an eyebrow as he watched her dip her fingers into the water and lightly splash.

Hijikata chuckled."For a second there, I thought you were going to dive into the water, clothes and all."

Chizuru looked at him over her shoulder, her face red."I was…considering it." Her voice was scarely above a whisper. The smile she gave him was so innocent, yet so _not_ innocent at the same time that his heart skipped a beat. In a tone identical to the one she'd spoken in a moment ago, she asked,"Would you like it if I do?"

His heart skipped another beat. His mouth felt dry. A warmth and thirst that had no relation to the weather filled his body as he looked her up and down. She laughed, then reached behind her head to undo her ponytail. She waited a few seconds before turning away from him and beginning to undo her kimono.

His heart skipped yet another beat, and his breath quickened. What had gotten into her? In the five years that he'd known her, he never witnessed this kind of behavior from her. Then again, he also hadn't previously heard her express such anger and frustration like she had during their reunion in Ezo, and there was a first time for everything. Plus, it wasn't like he was complaining.

The sound of water splashing as Chizuru dove into the lake snapped him from his thoughts. She emerged as he was approaching her. He crossed his arms and gazed down at her. She gave him a cheeky grin, and he tried to grab her, only for her to swim away. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Alright," he whispered, starting to undress. Two could play at that game. Chizuru's eyes widened from a combination of excitement and embarrassment. She squeaked when water splashed on her as a result of him diving in like she had.

As soon as he was underwater, Hijikata swam toward Chizuru and grabbed her ankle. A squeal escaped her lips as he tugged her down. She returned to the surface, sputtering and rubbing her eyes. He emerged as well, grinning from ear to ear.

Reaching out, Hijikata grasped her shoulder and drew her close. His arms encircled her waist and she hugged his neck as he pecked her on the lips. She sighed softly when he kissed her neck.

Chizuru tensed slightly when his mouth moved lower, so he asked,"Do you want me to stop?" The last thing he wanted was to force her. She had acted seductive toward him mere moments ago, but she had every right to change her mind.

She shook her head."I-I'm sorry. D-Do you think you'll be okay? I don't want you to overextert yourself…" She ducked her head to hide her blushing cheeks. It took some effort on Hijikata's part not to laugh at how adorable she was.

Hijikata took her face in his hands."I know I say this a lot, but I'm fine." He brought his face closer to hers."Do _you_ want this?" She nodded."If at any point you change your mind, don't hesitate to let me know." She nodded again, this time with a smile.

Hijikata leaned down to kiss her; she closed her eyes and moaned quietly as their lips met. Her arms came back around his neck as his returned to her waist. Their arms tightened as the kiss deepened.

Hijikata slowly let his hand move down to the small of Chizuru's back, his other hand tangling itself in her dark tresses. He tugged her hair just a bit to tilt her head back so he could have access to her neck. She made a soft noise in response to the touch of his mouth, and he pressed more tender kisses to her skin in a slow manner, eager to hear her make that sound again. The fingernails of one hand dug into his nape whilst the other hand was tangled in his hair.

His kisses became faster and harder. Her breath quickened, and she emitted a particularly sharp gasp when he nipped at a sensitive spot. He kissed that spot, realizing the extra effect it had on her when she moaned. Pressing his lips there, he began to suckle, smirking as she tugged at his hair and leaned backwards. The arm around her back kept her close, and the hand that had been in her hair came to rest in between her shoulder blades.

He caressed the small of her back ever so slightly with his fingertips, making her shudder. Her nails dug deeper into his nape. He repeated the action in between her shoulder blade, and was pleased to get a similar reaction. He began rubbing her back in circles and continued suckling on her neck. She trembled and gasped nonstop.

"H-Hijikata-san." Her voice was so quiet that he only heard her thanks to their closeness.

His smirk grew, and he pressed her even closer to him.

She was clinging to him now, barely able to speak due to the sweet sounds escaping her throat.

"I-I can't…" The words became a moan. At first, he worried that she was trying to resist and so he started to let go of her, but she shook her head. She grasped his wrist and lead him to shore. As she was about to make her way out of the water, he spun her around and kissed her deeply. The force of his sudden kiss caused her back to meet the edge.

She was breathless when he pulled away. Taking her by the hips, he lifted her out of the water and helped her sit on the edge. He grinned at the pleasantly surprised squeal she made when he did this.

Chizuru moved back a little as he partially rose within the water, though her feet were still in the water. Holding her sides, he kissed her throat, and she giggled. That sound pleased him more than the sounds she'd made to express pleasure had, so he brushed his nose against hers, and she gave another giggle.

"Hijikata-san," she murmured, giving a squeak as he pinched her side. As she was tittering in delight, he quickly moved downward and pressed a kiss to the area just above her breast. She squirmed and brought her hands to his head.

One of his hands came up to brush her nipple with his finger. She jumped, biting her lip as the distance that separated his face and her bosom lessened. She inhaled sharply when he took her nipple into his mouth and palmed her other breast. She clutched his skull, whispering his name when he bit her breast.

Hijikata released her breasts and moved lower, pausing to apply a feather-like kiss to her stomach, and she gave a half-yelp, half-moan at the ticklish sensation. He kept moving down, and she shivered in delighted anticipation whilst tugging and twisting his locks.

Hijikata's eyes flickered to her, and their gazes met. Not once did they break eye contact as he gently but firmly pushed her onto her back. He got out of the water and crawled toward her. Their gazes were still locked as he hovered over her. She lifted a hand to cup his cheek, thumbing his skin, and his fingers wrapped around her wrist as he leaned into her touch and kissed her palm.

Hijikata placed his knee between her thighs. She jerked at the unexpected contact, and he grasped her chin to reconnect their gazes.

"Chizuru-" he started. She sat up and kissed him, holding his face tightly in her hands. He held both of her wrists. Like their first kiss, this one contained so many things they could not say. It was an acknowledgment of the past, a promise regarding the future, and most importantly, a request for the present.

Their lips slowly parted. They pressed their foreheads together, exchanging childish and loving smiles.

He didn't deserve to have such a kind, compassionate, strong, loyal, and beautiful woman in his life. He didn't deserve to have her love and trust. But for whatever reason fate had deemed him worthy on that night in Kyoto five years ago. He would never let her go or hurt her again.

Chizuru laid back down on the grass, taking him with her. Their lips met again, and he took this opportunity to bring his hand to the area between her thighs. She gasped into his mouth when she felt him part her folds, breathing his name as his thumb caressed her. Her body squirmed beneath his, and she yelped when his mouth returned to her breasts.

"O-Oh," she struggled to breathe, let alone speak, as he rubbed his thumb in a circle against her. He alternated between biting and suckling her nipple. He didn't hesitate to grant that attention to the other nipple, or to quicken the pace of his thumb as he rubbed that same spot.

He removed his thumb, and she cried out in protest. He silenced her by replacing his thumb with a different finger. This time her cry was one of pleasure. Her head rapidly moved from side to side. She grabbed and tore out fistfuls of grass, rocking her hips along with the pumping of his fingers.

She couldn't stop writhing and moaning and crying out and uttering his name. And he loved every second of it as much as she did.

They had only been intimate once before: that night in Ezo, as the fear of death once morning came despite their vows to fight to live and the joy of having finally confessed their love for each other overcame them both. There was so little time then, but now they had their whole lives ahead of them. Hence, why he loved taking his time with her.

"Hijikata-san," she choked out, her voice raspy."Now. Please."

Without hesitation, Hijikata pulled out his fingers and crawled up her body. Chizuru put her hands on his shoulders as he grabbed her leg and held it to his waist. He asked her if she was certain she wanted this, and a bright smile lit up her countenance as she nodded.

Slowly he entered her, both of them sighing at the feeling. Chizuru's grip on him tightened as she pulled him closer.

His pace was gentle and unhurried at first, drawing sharp inhales and exhales from her, as well as the occasional groan. Her eyes were tightly shut as she made those vocalizations. Steadily he started to go faster, and she begged for more.

He came to a sudden stop. Before she could react to that pause, he slammed into her, and she emitted a strangled cry. He repeated the action, and her voice grew louder.

Her nails sank into his flesh and produced small scratches on his shoulders and chest. He continued to torture her, and soon she'd had enough. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. Her forcefulness both shocked and thrilled him, his own desire prompting him to comply with her wishes. He reentered her, keeping their lips locked as he declined the urge to tease her some more and rocked into her. She lifted her hips to meet his pace, his lips muffling her moans.

She held him tighter than ever and broke their kiss to throw her head back in pleasure, gasping as her climax hit her. He grunted as he followed her soon afterward.

He rolled off her and settled beside her. Chizuru hummed in satisfaction as she rolled onto her side and cuddled against him, resting her head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat. He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her forehead.

"I love you," he murmured against her forehead.

She caressed his cheek."I love you too," she replied.


	6. Hope

Neither of them could fall asleep.

Or perhaps they didn't want to sleep.

They lay there, wrapped in each other's arms, legs tangled, lips occasionally meeting, words of love leaving their mouths. He ran his fingertips along her back, making her shiver and snuggle further against him. With a chuckle, he kissed her forehead.

The final battle, the end of this war, would happen in a matter of hours. In the past, he had thought about this with resignation and readiness to die. He would have no reason to stay alive even if he felt no eagerness to lose his life. Were it not for the woman in his arms, that would not have changed.

But now he had a reason to live beyond the war. Whatever the battle tomorrow would bring, he would survive and spend the rest of his life with this woman. Death would not claim him anytime soon. For as long as he had left, and he intended to fight for much longer than that, he would stay beside his beloved.

They had both lost so much, but she maintained a hope that he could not prevent from affecting him. She was afraid of what could happen, but truly believed that no matter how terrible or sorrowful things were, they would get better. She made the best out of everything, tried to see the good in everyone, and never lost the ability to smile and help others do so. How could he not fall in love with her?

She reached for his hand and gave him a smile that he returned. There was no fear or hesitation in her smile. She did not regret anything, and he no longer asked. There was no changing her mind, and he had promised not to let her go ever again.

It didn't matter what happened; they would face it together, with smiles on their faces as they looked toward the bright future ahead of them.


	7. Wild Card

As much as Chizuru loved her adoptive father/uncle, the time they spent together had become her least favorite activity. Kodo always liked to offer his opinion on her personal life, a habit that worsened after she turned eighteen and moved out. She understood that Kodo was doing what he thought was best for her, but he often went overboard, so she kept her distance. She was relieved, albeit a little suspicious, when he did no such thing today. The topics they argued about did not even come up in conversation. And in a little while, he would arrive…

Suddenly, Kodo directed a smile to something, or someone, behind her. Chizuru stifled a giggle. Speak of the Demon, and he shall appear. A hand touched her shoulder and she turned to see…

…the wrong Demon. Her smile faded. She tried to shrug the hand off her shoulder, but its owner held on, squeezing hard enough to make her wince.

"Ah, we were awaiting your arrival," Kodo said happily.

Shaking her head, Chizuru slapped his hand off. "No, we weren't." She grabbed her purse and stood up to leave the diner. This really wasn't surprising. Why else would Kodo be in a good mood and express happiness when he noticed their guest's arrival? A setup from the beginning. How very like both of them.

Kazama blocked her path, forcing her to stand awkwardly in the booth. Though she had received several unwanted texts and calls from him (because she foolishly trusted that Kodo would respect her wishes and not violate her trust by giving Kazama her personal information every time she moved or change her phone number), she hadn't seen him for two years. That was around the time she left her family home and ended the relationship that had been forced upon her with this man.

"Please get out of my way," she said. She was tired of the control, of the lies, of the manipulation, of the pain, of every negative feeling these people brought her. She had hoped that getting rid of Kazama would not cost her a relationship with the man who raised her, but now she realized how foolish that hope was. As painful as this reality was, she couldn't allow Kodo to be in her life any longer. She prayed that one day he would change and not want to keep acting this way toward her, but that was unlikely, and she could not take it anymore, not after he tricked her into meeting with the man who had indirectly terrorized her for two years and spent years before that attempting to make her his wife against her will with Kodo's approval.

"Come now, my bride," Kazama said, his tone friendly and his eyes icy."There's no need to be unreasonable." He tried to grasp her shoulders; she slapped his hands away.

"Don't touch me." She spoke as politely and firmly as possible. What she wanted to do was shove him, scream at both of them, and run into the arms of those who actually loved her and didn't try to control her. If only they, if only he were…

Chizuru shook her head. He was going to be here any minute and the last thing she wanted was for an altercation to erupt. She needed to get out of here.

She looked Kazama dead in the eye."Unreasonable is constantly trying to force someone to conform to your wishes with no consideration for what they want," she paused to glare at Kodo, who closed his eyes and sighed as if she were a petulant child, then she returned her gaze to Kazama."Unreasonable is not taking no for an answer when someone rejects you. Unreasonable is pursuing someone who has no desire to interact with you and making their life a living hell everyday for two years. Unreasonable is being the biggest hypocrite on the planet!" She took a deep breath to calm herself."Now please step aside." When he narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to respond, she threw all politeness away and shoved him lightly. He was too strong for her to move him too much, but it was enough to make him stumble slightly from shock and give her the space she needed to exit the booth. Kodo got up to follow her along with Kazama.

"Chizuru!" Her former guardian called."Please stop and listen!"

She stopped and turned to face him, ignoring Kazama's presence entirely. She crossed her arms and straightened her posture, locking eyes with Kodo."I have listened to you for my entire life. I listened to you when you persuaded me to date this man and give him a chance. I listened to you when you advised me on life. I listened to you when you begged for me to renew contact with you, only for you to try to tear apart my life and make me into someone I am not every time. I thought you'd finally realized the error of your ways today, until he showed up." She pointed at Kazama, not reacting to his glare. As scared as she was of him, she would not give him the attention he craved.

"I am done listening to you," she told Kodo."Now, you are going to listen to me." She clenched her fists and lifted her chin."Unless you stop this, this will be the last time we speak."

Kodo was gaping at her."Chizuru…" She had never spoken to him like this before. He couldn't deny that she was being serious. For a fleeting second, Chizuru thought she had gotten through to him, and relief filled her heart. That hope was dashed when he gave her the same pained look as when she'd tried to argue with him in the past. That look had guilted her into submitting or attempting to compromise so many times; this was not one of those times.

Chizuru shut her eyes, forcing the tears back."Goodbye, Father." She turned and exited the diner, quickening her pace when she heard them following her again.

No sooner had she stepped outside, than a familiar van pulled up in front of her. Out stepped the man she _wanted_ to see.

"Toshizo-san!" She exclaimed, running to him. She buried her face in his chest and fisted the material of his coat in her hands.

"Chizuru, what's wrong?" He wrapped an arm around her and stroked the back of her head. He sighed."Your father again?" She nodded, and he heaved another sigh.

"Chizuru!" Kodo cried as he and Kazama stepped outside. Hijikata urged her to stand behind him, which she did. She would have made for the other side of the van to the passenger's seat if she didn't fear that Kazama would use that as a chance to grab her, so she stayed put. From the corner of her eye, however, she thought she saw movement in the passenger's seat, but saw no one there. She also dismissed the shuffling she heard in the back of the van.

"I'd say here we go again, but this is clearly worse than usual." Hijikata crossed his arms and scowled at the pair.

Kazama would have spoken had Kodo not gestured for him to stop. Kodo stepped forward, his full attention on Hijikata."Surely you do not delude yourself as my daughter does. She has a far more luxurious future to look forward to with Kazama-san than with you. Or any of your friends, for that matter."

"The only person who's deluded about anything is you," Hijikata replied coldly. He sneered at Kazama."And you're twice as bad."

"This charade cannot continue," Kodo stated.

"You're right. It can't." Hijikata spoke in a flat tone. Chizuru looked at him in confusion as he turned to face her. The serious glint in his eyes worried her, but that worry vanished and was replaced by shock when he produced a box from his pocket and knelt before her. She threw her hands over her mouth to muffle a gasp.

"What?!" Kazama and Kodo cried in unison, their jaws on the floor. Exactly one second after this, the van door slid open, followed by the flash of a camera and the sound of loud, smug laughter. Chizuru gasped at the sight of almost all their friends sitting in the van, with a camera-wielding Souji in the front. The passenger side door opened, revealing Sanan with a video camera.

"Sanan-san, _please_ tell me you got all of that!" Souji said as he got out of the van to snap a closer picture of the couple before walking to her shocked uncle and stalker. Sanan chuckled as he followed Souji.

"Every second of it, Okita-kun," the bespectacled man said before addressing the stunned duo."Well, Kodo-san, Kazama-kun, do either of you have anything to say for yourselves?" They sputtered, torn between disbelief and fury. Sanan hummed and said,"That is what I thought." He and Souji turned their backs to them and walked back to their friends.

"T-This…" Chizuru couldn't find the words to describe how she felt, not just about the proposal, but about the actions of her friends. One thing was certain: she wasn't unhappy with _this_ turn of events.

"Chizuru," Hijikata said softly as he opened the box, revealing a simple yet lovely ring."I didn't plan it exactly this way, but when I saw Kazama enter the diner, I…we improvised a bit." He smiled sheepishly.

"Can't complain with the results." Souji was still laughing as he and Sanan moved closer to the couple with their cameras. He half-jokingly added,"Yet." All the other men, even Kondou, shot him annoyed looks and shushed him.

"As I was saying," Hijikata growled, looking back to Chizuru."Chizuru, I can't give you wealth and luxury, but I…I love you and I-"

Chizuru didn't let him finish. Reaching out, she cupped his face and pulled him close for a kiss, giggling at his grunt of surprise. Their friends cheered and whistled.

Chizuru cracked an eye open to check on their audience. Kodo was on his knees, his mouth agape. Kazama was still in shock, but fury was taking over him. Right as he took one step forward, two people burst from one of the cars and grabbed his arms. Shiranui waved at Chizuru whilst Amagiri nodded at her, and they dragged away a screaming Kazama.

Good riddance, she thought as they got into the car and drove off.

They broke the kiss, and she blushed as he slid the ring onto her finger.

Kodo had risen to his feet and started to approach them, prompting the others to block him. Chizuru entwined her fingers with Hijikata's as they moved to stand in the front so she could address Kodo.

"Father," she said."I want you to know that I will always love you and appreciate what you've done for me. But…if you can't accept me for who I am and be happy for me, then I have no other choice than to say goodbye. I hope that one day you'll change your mind and we can be a family again, but for now, and perhaps even forever, goodbye." She looked at Hijikata."Let's go."

As they moved back to the van, Souji whipped around to snap one last picture of Kodo.

Before he started to drive, Hijikata reached for Chizuru's hand and squeezed it."No regrets?" He asked.

She smiled at him, then at the other men."None." She gave Kodo a final glance. He had betrayed her, hurt her so many times, but she meant what she said about always loving him, even if that love had to be from a distance for her own good. These people in the van with her, they were her true family. She didn't need anyone else as long they were with her.

And so, she never once looked back as they drove together into a bright future.


End file.
